Deb's 90g Reef

[doglvr]

Last week I bought a 90g reef setup for $600 (the deal I couldn't pass up

).
It's a 48" Standard, with:
VHO - URI bulbs and a URI ballast, with 2 Actinic White & 2 Super Actinic, FR40T12/VHO
Kent Nautilus EX skimmer
100lbs LS
100lbs LR

The LR, sump, refugium, plumbing was loaded with Aipstasia so everything (except LR) was cleaned, and I painted the back Black.

Then I had to wait 2 incredibly painful days for someone to help me move it in the house!

Two trips to the Glacier water machine for 100g RO. Did this in 1g jugs! The machine had just been serviced on 6/29 so that was a bonus! I'll buy an RO unit next month. TaDa, filled and ready to turn on!

It took me about 2 hours to get the levels adjusted & learn how the skimmer works. Didn't come with the manual, but a quick search found it online

 

[doglvr]

Added 30lbs new LS to the main tank, half the LR, and then the lights. This was at roughly 11:20 pm last night:

About 2 hours later:

6:00am this morning:

The stand is cool because it has compartments on each side, one for electrical, one for chemicals (has a lock.)
Will do the "rock-scaping" after work today. Sigh, if I wasn't in charge, I would call in sick today! What a time for my bosses to take off!

 

[gatorwpb]

Looking great.

Lots of work, but it will be worth it!!

 

[shrimpi]

any idea what you are going to stock it with? agressive? or reef? or what?
New tanks are so exciting, imagine the possibilities!

 

[doglvr]

I've finally got all the LR in the tank & have it reef scaped for now. Joe's Juice has worked like a charm on the Aip. I've been picking them off one by one!
Had to put the plant between the tanks, the Coral Beauty & Hippo are very interested in the "sea" next door! Both are hanging out at that end & looking out the glass, not their usual habit.
Hmmm, what will I stock it with? Excellent probability that I will change my mind a dozen times over the next 6-8 weeks while the 90 cycles. The contents of my 30g will be moved. This will add another 50lbs of live rock along with:
Blue Hippo Tang
Coral Beauty Angel
Lawnmower Blenny
BTA
Frogspawn
Purple Reef Lobster
Xenia, Mushrooms.
I am going to trade the Tube Anemone, it decimated my pod population & got huge quickly. The Lobster, added at the same time, helped a lot too! Will probably trade it too. Never see it, and I am leaning towards a Mandarin. The Lobster would be too much competition for food. I will add a healthy pod population to the tank & refugium, and give them time to enjoy & multiply before adding anything that eats them. It's cool watching them crawling all over the LR now, in the 90, with the lights on. i'll also plant coraline & other algaes from the 30, before moving my LMB.
Had I known then, what I know now, there would be 2 Tomato clowns in my 30! Only got one, and after 9 months there is no adding another, even in the 90. So will trade it in & get 2 of another clown type. Thinking with the Angel, Tang, 2 Clowns, LMB & a Mandarin, it will be a good mix.
However, those Dwarf Lions are very, very cool, a 2nd Anemone would be nice too.

 

[shrimpi]

got any pics of your tube anemone? I just got mine a few weeks ago. How big did yours get? How do you know it ate all your pods? I feed mine daily. I have a mandarin and lots of pods and I havent SEEN any pods come to thier demise over the tube anemone? Weirder stuff has happened though...

 

[doglvr]

Originally Posted by Shrimpi
got any pics of your tube anemone? I just got mine a few weeks ago. How big did yours get? How do you know it ate all your pods? I feed mine daily. I have a mandarin and lots of pods and I havent SEEN any pods come to thier demise over the tube anemone? Weirder stuff has happened though...

This is the only one with the tube that I have uploaded. Before adding the lobster & tube, my tank was swarming with pods. Would see them all scurrying about when I turned on the lights. Since adding these two, hardly ever see any anymore. I have used the flashlight on the tube at night and even in the dark it is very active.

 

[cjason3041]

Originally Posted by doglvr
I've finally got all the LR in the tank & have it reef scaped for now. Joe's Juice has worked like a charm on the Aip. I've been picking them off one by one!
Had to put the plant between the tanks, the Coral Beauty & Hippo are very interested in the "sea" next door! Both are hanging out at that end & looking out the glass, not their usual habit.
Hmmm, what will I stock it with? Excellent probability that I will change my mind a dozen times over the next 6-8 weeks while the 90 cycles. The contents of my 30g will be moved. This will add another 50lbs of live rock along with:
Blue Hippo Tang
Coral Beauty Angel
Lawnmower Blenny
BTA
Frogspawn
Purple Reef Lobster
Xenia, Mushrooms.
I am going to trade the Tube Anemone, it decimated my pod population & got huge quickly. The Lobster, added at the same time, helped a lot too! Will probably trade it too. Never see it, and I am leaning towards a Mandarin. The Lobster would be too much competition for food. I will add a healthy pod population to the tank & refugium, and give them time to enjoy & multiply before adding anything that eats them. It's cool watching them crawling all over the LR now, in the 90, with the lights on. i'll also plant coraline & other algaes from the 30, before moving my LMB.
Had I known then, what I know now, there would be 2 Tomato clowns in my 30! Only got one, and after 9 months there is no adding another, even in the 90. So will trade it in & get 2 of another clown type. Thinking with the Angel, Tang, 2 Clowns, LMB & a Mandarin, it will be a good mix.
However, those Dwarf Lions are very, very cool, a 2nd Anemone would be nice too.

...
that dog looks....ahem.. real tired

 

[doglvr]

Originally Posted by cjason3041
...
that dog looks....ahem.. real tired
No, he's actually giving me that "oh so sorry" look, he broke his down-stay and trying to slink away! Just didn't want his picture taken, camera shy, lol.
He's a great dog! After 2 years of rescue work & assisting with 100+ dogs, this was the one whose journey ended at my door.

 

[doglvr]

A broken heater took my 30g up to 98 degrees. The Frogspawn was the only livestock that died from this. A couple of days later all the pink coraline died off & created a huge ammonia spike. Moving day to the 90g came sooner than planned. After a week, everything is looking great.
Fish: 2 Perc Clowns, 1 Hippo Tang, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Copperband, 1 Lawnmower Blenny.

I've since moved the BTAs to the lower corner where the clowns are hanging out. Hopefully they will choose the BTAs over the Toadstool

 

[shrimpi]

thats horrible about your heater!
that happened to me once with a freshwater tank. All my fish I had for a few years and loved them DEARLY lol.
The heater fried every last one of them.
Im still upset about it. I dont use a heater now. If it gets chilly Ill add more lights!
WEll, at least it looks like you are doing ok now.
Good Luck!
Jessica/Shrimpi